Green Fingered Divers

GREEN FINGERED

FEATURE AND PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES CAMPBELL

Jimi Hendrix once wrote a song called, “1983 a merman I should turn to be”, about his dream to become a merman. He wanted to escape beneath the waves from the machine of modern progress before the life on earth self-destructs through war, greed or becomes the world prophesied by George Orwell in the novel 1984. An underwater Atlantis was perceived by him as a haven where he could find sanctuary and become harmonious with aquatic creatures, living a life of tranquillity and peace. The machine he describes would be left behind on the surface granting him his freedom and I believe it’s something a lot of divers can relate to, leaving the stress of the modern world to go and dive even if just for a couple of hours on the weekend to regain the peace in their lives, experiencing and exploring a forgotten underwater world. The problem lies in that the machine of progress has overspilled into the oceans and will, if we do not act, destroy this underwater paradise leaving us with no refuge.

Beneath the waves of the oceans lie small oases, paradises which Hendrix sung about, beautiful natural gardens where life can flourish and create one of earth’s most astounding natural spectacles, the coral reef ecosystems. Like an oasis, these coral reefs are found in deserts of sand barren of life and only exist because certain factors combine to make it habitable. Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, from the smallest nudibranch to the largest sharks, with a vibrant spectrum of weird and wonderful in-between. These are innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire of modern progression. Coral reefs and the organisms which inhabit them never went to war, never gained anything from the raping of natural resources, but they are the environments which are on the front line when it comes to being affected by the changes that we as a species are inflicting on the planet.

Although these coral reef ecosystems only cover around 0.15% of the ocean, they are home to over 30% of known marine species, this is due to the architectural abilities of the reef building Scleractinian corals, also known as hard or stony corals. As these hard corals grow, they deposit a mineral form of calcium carbonate called aragonite. The intricate complex structures formed by these corals create habitats for small marine animals whilst providing the base of the food chain due to their unique symbiotic relationship with Zooxanthellae. In these ocean deserts where nutrients are lacking, the coral animal fertilises the symbiont Zooxanthellae algae with its waste products as well as providing a raised position in the water column closer to the light. In return the algae provide oxygen and sugars as by-products of photosynthesis. This harmonious symbiotic relationship forms both the habitat and the energy to support the ecosystem which is why coral is referred to as an ecosystem architect

Hopefully, we as divers should all know these coral reef ecosystems as well as the global ocean and the planet are under a barrage of anthropogenic threats. Rising atmospheric greenhouse gas levels increase the global, and in turn, the sea surface temperatures, whilst also causing ocean acidification. Anthropogenic pollution, coastal development and nutrification of these coastal waters puts even more stress on an already vulnerable system leaving the door open for coral diseases to take hold.

Unless we as humans take action to curb the detriment of coral reefs, its predicted that by 2050 the vast majority will be gone, like a castle made of sand, it will slip into the sea. Not lost beneath the waves, but lost to all but memory and divers photographs of what once was. With it the spectacle and parade of creatures that inhabit these underwater natural metropolises will be without a home, succumbing to the elements and a lack of food, they too will be lost to the planet. In decades to come, will the once beautiful reefs we dive become part of myth, a fable of the past dismissed so easily? So what can we do?

Sit back and say,“well that’s a shame”!

Or we can act. Action as individuals may be perceived to be nothing more than a drop in the ocean, but collectively, we can drive change, after all, what is an ocean but a multitude of drops?

Terrestrial plants need light, fertile suitable ground, space and water to grow, if these factors are lacking in any form, then it inhibits their growth. An oasis in the desert, the life there relies on the water source, without water the plants die, the animals which inhabit the foliage, feed on the plants and drink the water are lost to the desert sands. This is a bottom-up trophic cascade when the ecosystem collapses as the primary producing foundations which harbour the suns energy through photosynthesis, are removed, so can no longer support the ecosystem. Ecosystems components including all the abiotic and biotic factors within them, are intrinsically connected in a delicate equilibrium.

Coral however when compared to terrestrial plants and other ecosystem engineers, are rather obtuse in its preferred growth medium, specifically Scleractinian hard stony reef building corals we associate primarily with the coral reefs. Corals are the roses and orchids of the oceans, these plants will not grow unless the soil is fertile, the PH and temperatures are within their preferred range, it also needs to be well watered. Only with a delicate balance of factors will the plants grow. Corals however require an environment with a lack of nutrients. The shallow crystal azure water we associate with coral reefs are clear because they lack these nutrients and particulates. Nutrients are provided by the coral’s symbiotic relationship with the zooxanthellae. In areas of shallow water with sufficient nutrient availability we will not find corals, we will find micro and macro algae, these are marine plants which are truly autotrophic meaning they, like terrestrial plants, feed themselves, harnessing sunlight through photosynthesis and drawing the required nutrients from their environment. Excess nutrification of coral reef environments causes what’s known as an algal phase shift, whereby the corals die off and algae dominates leaving just a green sludge rather than the reefs we love. So, in contrast to purposely fertilising and providing nutrients for plants to grow, we need to ensure that the coral is in an environment devoid of nutrients, but that is not all.

Coral needs a solid substrate to grow, in the marine desert of sand in the shallow coastal waters, coral cannot grow unless there is a stable substrate on which to attach. This requirement of a solid substrate and clear warm waters at the correct depth, limits where coral can grow. Millions of acres of coastal waters with the correct balance of factors are barren as there is no solid substrate for coral to develop from its humble planula origin.This is where the idea of artificial reefs and coral gardening comes into play, providing adequate substrate in an artificial form for a permanent fixture; or nurseries which are permanent fixtures where the coral can grow before being removed and “planted” elsewhere on natural or artificial reefs. It’s these underwater coral nurseries where we can, like on land, start to do some gardening, purposely growing and cultivating species. This however is not easy, it requires divers with green fingers and strategised production, most importantly time and effort. The more people we can educate and get involved in localised conservation projects, the more drops go to the ocean which is marine conservation.

Localised conservation efforts contribute towards global conservation efforts, driving change. One successful methodology for localised conservation is the afore mentioned coral propagation or coral gardening where we can invoke our inner underwater horticulturist and like a terrestrial garden, we can start to grow specific coral organisms.

Multiple factors need to be considered when setting up our coral gardens or placing nurseries for success to occur. The nurseries need to be shallow enough so that the corals get sufficient light throughout the day. Light availability is a major consideration when placing nurseries, hard Scleractinian corals needs light to grow, the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae within the coral provides over 60%, even up to 80% in some species of coral, of the corals net energy gain. Too shallow however will cause the corals to bleach and die over the summer months with high water temperatures. They need to be placed somewhere accessible so that maintenance can be undertaken on a regular basis. The nurseries need to be placed somewhere safe, safe from boat activity, potential pollution and disturbance. They need to be stable which is factored in during the construction stage, but a flat sandy area will provide a suitable surface and allow the nurseries to“bed in”, placing one on rocks defies the point as coral can already grow there and even if it’s a flat surface it could potentially be unstable in adverse weather. A raised position is also favourable as this will reduce the amount of sedimentation onto the coral which reduces growth rates.

Coral gardening exploits corals natural process of fragmentation and budding. Budding is the a-sexual replication process which allows a single polyp to develop into a coral colony. This can be done in one of two ways. Budding can be extra or intra tentacular; Intratentacular budding occurs when the parent polyp divides itself into two or more daughter polyps. Extratentacular budding occurs when daughter corallites form adjacent to the parent colony, external to the wall. The resulting daughter corallite polyp is usually smaller than the parent and surrounding polyps but will grow overtime to the same size. Only corals that have separate walls will reproduce through extratentacular budding.

Coral fragmentation which is the initial point of coral gardening, is the method remarkably similar to taking a cutting in terrestrial based horticulture. It is the process by which a fragment of a coral colony in the event it is broken off can, if in a stable substrate, grow to form a new genetically identical clone colony. We can take these fragments of coral, plant them in certain places directly on the reef or secure them in nurseries to create a stock of seedlings if you will, ready to be planted on the natural reefs or artificial reefs. What this means is that in the event of damage be it coral bleaching, a storm, anchor damage or a medley of other reasons why a reef may be damaged; we can take these seedlings and plant them on the reef to rejuvenate, rehabilitate and restore the reefs. Coral Gardening allows the corals to optimise their growth and saves the fragments from potential death if they have broken and would otherwise just roll around in the sand.

Through this method of coral gardening and in conjunction with artificial reefs, we can help implement restoration and rehabilitation conservation strategies to help reefs weather the storm of progression. Imagine a green house full of seedlings and healthy specimens which can be utilised to replant an area of deforestation or an area hit by frost. The presence of healthy coral promotes the rejuvenation of coral and inhibits algal dominance. It is especially important during this process to not create fragments by purposely breaking healthy coral but rather to find fragments which have occurred naturally. A high amount of collection sites from around the reef also ensures genetic variance which will help over time generate healthier corals.

The history of life on the planet is strongly thought to have originated in the oceans, sharks existed before trees, the ancestors of marine mammals did once walk the earth but prior to that their ancestors swam in the oceans. Primordial organisms arising from the pressurised depths before blossoming into the life we see around us today; without the oceans we would not exist. “Deep beneath the rolling waves, in labyrinths of coral caves, the echo of a distant time comes willowing across the sand”, lyrics by Pink Floyd, which I think portray in a poetic fashion the sheer power of how ancient the oceans are, better than I ever could. We must not forget as we advance this age of man that without the oceans, we would not have this opportunity to create this modern world.

We have created this modern world of manmade structures, metropolises of concrete, metal and plastic, outshining even dreams. The towering technological achievements of man have surpassed even the most creative minds of past science fiction writers, global communication at our fingertips, the collective knowledge of time accessible whilst lying in bed on a Saturday morning, any product we desire mere clicks away, global travel no longer a pipe dream. What we have seen over the past 18 months is how fragile this is. A virus, microscopic, biological, seemingly insignificant has brought this modern world to a standstill. Medical technology has provided us with vaccines and helped us weather the storm but in the end a small protein bag of genetic material could have crippled mankind. The importance of healthcare and its workers pulled into the limelight as the virus shows us what is important which in case you missed it, was not profit margins. The enduring situation of, “you do not know what you’ve got till it’s gone” perseveres, community, social interaction, family and health were all deprived from us, reminding us of their importance.

We take the climate, the air we breathe and the natural world for granted and haphazardly squeeze it for resources with little to no concern for the damage done. How bad does climate change have to get before collectively we realise the importance of the planet, the oceans and all organisms we share this rock in space with and do something about it. The big villa, fancy watch, expensive car and Italian suit will be worthless if the very air we breathe cannot sustain us, if crops cannot grow to feed us, and there is no water to quench our thirst. The planet will still be here long after we are gone, our achievements will be lost to time becoming ruins like civilizations of past, we are not omnipotent. We as a race are more fragile than most realise.

“My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

We should use our gifts of this modern age to ensure that we strive to make our home planet earth habitable for everyone and everything. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the luxuries of modern life so long as we see the total cost and not just the price plus delivery. Everything we do as a race has an impact, everything we do as an individual has an impact. In 1960 there were 3 billion of us, 2,000 around 6 billion, we are now almost at 8 billion people on the planet so our impact as a race is becoming greater each day. If we can start to have a positive impact as individuals, then collectively on a global scale we can have a positive impact on the very world which gives us life. We should strive for a world of gardens, be it Babylon, Eden or Atlantis, creating a natural home with all species thriving. Gardens do not just grow plants; they provide and create a complexity of harmony. We create gardens on land, lets use our knowledge and create them in the oceans as well.

Coral gardening is often perceived to require extensive training. You don’t need a degree in horticulture or marine biology to take up coral gardening, its easy for you to get involved with these localised conservation efforts to help protect the UAE’s reefs for the future. If you would like to learn more about coral gardening, the oceans and marine conservation whilst expanding your diving experiences, we offer a full curriculum with in-water training so that you can have a positive impact on the oceans.

Please contact James@freestyledivers.me for more information.